REPORT OF DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON IRISH FORESTRY. 33 



merits so as to provide for the higher training of a sufficient 

 number of students, and the promotion of scientific investigation 

 and research in forestry. 



Part VIII. contains certain miscellaneous considerations, the 

 most important of which is the question of amendments in 

 the Land Purchase Acts, in regard to which the Commissioners 

 recommend provisions — (i) to prevent the cutting down of 

 plantations on estates while negotiations for sale are pending ; 

 (2) to exclude from a holding any plantation or land suitable 

 for planting ; (3) for the acquisition of grazing rights ; and 

 (4) for the building of woodmen's cottages. 



It is interesting to note that the Commissioners take a 

 common-sense view of the question of using the " unemployed " 

 in forest works. They point out that all evidence goes to 

 show that the chief requisite in forest labour is " skill," and 

 make it clear that, in their opinion, forestry is not " an industry 

 which lends itself to furnishing temporary and irregular employ- 

 ment to those who may for the time being be out of work 

 in other callings." 



Part IX. is devoted to " Finance," i.e., to the cost of the 

 scheme which we have briefly described, and the probable 

 receipts after a few years. It is arranged under the heads of 

 State Forest, 400,000 acres ; County Council woods, 50,000 acres ; 

 and existing woods taken over by the State, 50,000 acres; 

 and the provisions for each kind. It is not easy to give a 

 clear account of these complex figures, and so it is better to 

 refer readers to the actual Schedules in the Report, and 

 to quote the Abstract given by the Commissioners themselves, 

 as follows : — 



" (i) That the net expenses of the national scheme of afforesta- 

 tion recommended, including the purchase of the land 

 required, are estimated to amount to ^^44,5 25 per 

 annum in the first decade, to £,^^,12^ in the second 

 decade, to ;^74,6oo in the third, to ;^67,ioo in the 

 fourth, and to ;^32,6oo in the fifth, after which period 

 the scheme provides a surplus over purchase annuities 

 and working and administrative expenses, eventually 

 yielding a return of 4^ per cent, on the total capital 

 invested. 

 " (2) That the proceeds of the Irish Quit and Crown Rents 

 might be appropriately utilised for promoting forestry 



VOL. XXII. PART I. c 



